BoatsGloucester 18 (Whitecap)

Gloucester 18 (Whitecap)

Fractional Sloop · Centerboard Dinghy · 1974–1984

A high-performance fractional centerboard dinghy designed by Harry Sindle, originally marketed as the Whitecap.

Designed by Harry R. Sindle, built by Lockley-Newport Boats Inc.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Centerboard Dinghy

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

TrailerableBeam 2.01 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 340 kg of hull, so roughly 950 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Ramp-launchableAbout 340 kg of hull, with a keel that raises or a draught shallow enough to float off a trailer — she can go back on the trailer at the ramp, not only into the water.Shoal draughtDraws 0.20 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a beamy beam gives 6 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 6
CoastalBluewater

At 2.90 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 2.90
LightHeavy

75 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.

Displacement / length 75
EasygoingPowered-up

34.2 — a lot of sail for her weight; powered-up and eager, a real performer.

Sail area / displacement 34.2
TenderStiff

17% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 17%

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

  • Heavier than ~92% of boats her size on file
  • Draws more than ~98% of boats her size on file
  • Beamier than ~85% of boats her size on file

Compared with 269 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
16.7%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
34.2
Displacement / length
74.5
Comfort ratio
5.6
Capsize screening
2.90
Hull speed
5.4 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
388
Hull
Hull type
Centerboard Dinghy
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1974–1984
Designer
Harry R. Sindle
Builder
Lockley-Newport Boats Inc, Lockley Newport Boats

Boats like this, on the water

Nobody has filmed this one — but these are close.

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Klepper Cadet5.40 mSame hull familyNear-identical length
We're off to Greece to see our NEW BOAT! 😍 Road trip, catamaran & sailing dinghy22:21from Eternal Sailing
O'Day Daysailer5.11 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA 1956 centreboard dinghy with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio that remains in production today
Boat Shop Windows4:54from kentblairl
Aubin (Chantier Aubin) Snipe4.72 mSame hull family0.8 m shorterA legendary William F. Crosby-designed fractional dinghy that remains one of the world's most active racing classes
Rio to Polynesia on a 25-Foot Boat, the Journey that Changed Sailing in Brazil Forever | #SAL #368:16from Hashtag Sal
MacKay Boats Ltd. 49erfx4.88 mSame hull family0.6 m shorterA high-performance Olympic skiff featuring the 49er hull paired with a specialised rig tailored for lighter crews
Benedicte Lind Bjørland, first woman to lead KNS10:37from SEILmagasinet
LaserPerformance 49er4.88 mSame hull family0.6 m shorterAn Olympic-class high-performance skiff featuring a massive sail-area-to-displacement ratio for elite racing
Focus on sailing: How Bård Spilling intends to build the future of KNS18:41from SEILmagasinet
Several Under License 29er4.40 mSame hull family1.1 m shorterA high-performance skiff designed by Julian Bethwaite, featuring a powerful fractional rig for competitive racing
Marie Rønningen, Olympic gold contender7:24from SEILmagasinet

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Gloucester Yachts 18A 227-kilogram centerboard dinghy built by Gloucester Yachts using the long-running Buccaneer 18 moldsGloucester 20A fractional sloop with a swing keel designed by Stuart Windley and Harry Sindle for versatile, shoal-water sailingGloucester 19A daysailer variant of the Gloucester 20, featuring a swing keel and a spirited 20.39 sail-area-to-displacement ratioGloucester 16A nimble fractional sloop designed by C. William Lapworth, originally introduced in 1965 as the Newport 16Gloucester 15A lightweight centreboard dinghy with a high 33.79 SA/D ratio, sharing her design lineage with the Mutineer 15Gloucester 22A fractional sloop with a keel-centerboard configuration, originally the LN 23 and later produced as the Classic 22

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

Two ways to keep looking — both search what the fleet has actually recorded.

Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the Gloucester 18 (Whitecap)

The newsletter

New boats, new stories. Every week, everywhere.

One email from the fleet — boats newly added, videos newly analysed. No noise.

Report an issue